Container filling system



Jan. 1, 1952 E. E. MARTIN CONTAINER FILLING SYSTEM Filed March 2, 1946 25km-STI AMI/w IN VEN TOR.

Arme/ary Jan. 1, 1952 E. E. MARTIN v2,580,567

CONTAINER FILLING SYSTEM Filed March 2, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 .92 46 42 73 buf/Ov INVENTOR.

,Q7- rozas/EY `1an. l, 1952 Filed March 2, 1946 E. E. MARTIN CONTAINER FILLING SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 1, 1952 CONTAINER FILLING SYSTEM ,-E-arnestE. MartinpP-asadena, Calif., assignor to Universal Properties Inc., Los Angeles, Calif.

rApplication' Marchi-2, 1946, Serial'No. 651,441

.9 Claims. (Cl. 249-63) invention frelatesgenerallyto Vequipment fori-filling fluidfoantainers, gandgparticularly for :charging `oontai-ners .with accurately `determina- `fble quantities of vapor pressure ziluids. lypcallyfthe ,invention :will ,be described as em- .bodied rinfequipment adapted 4forwthe filling of .l1ande.size .plessure f containers for fparasiticidal aerosol -..compositionsI r comprising fa :solution Vof :appropriate ,f .parasiticide.` in a liqueed normally gaseous solvent such asndichlorodifluoromethane.

The .inventontmayfbefurther-characterized as pertaining to filling :equipment by :which the nuantity'nf zuid :fed finto `@the container is :con- A.trolledfin accordance-with the weight'zof :1 the fluid charsedintothe container. an this vconnectiomthe :invention haslamongitsfsmaiorobjects-:to wroxideeaisimpliedilling apparatusavherebyin 'mf-singlef rapidoperationfancbshorttimeinterval :a zcontainerimay 'dce charged Vwith '1an @accurately pontrollednuantiiy offnuid.

Generally speaking, .thenventioncontemplates #precision of a iweight `responsive container carrierlhaving a 'filling headfnr attachmentwfor asmcatimi with :the filling opening aof fthe-foon- -tainer,.aneans ilfor charging :pressure .fluid :into f ihenontainer @whilefmoun'ted .on thea-carrier, .and 'automatic zicontrol means :for -discontinu'ing :the :supply -;of @luid to `the :container Ewhen the :fac-

cumulated weight of the charge V"produces predetermined displacement of the carrier.

Iahavefproyideddni conjunction with'the :weight :esponsive fcarriersaaioizel system for=forcing the uid. charge cinto fthe container by employing za .motivating-cr; independently lpressurized @nui-d, .all

yin:a:1min-nersuchifthatioperation of fthe equipiment iorftheilingof: anyrnumber of :containers acquires only the availability lof/a lsuitable 2mortiva-ting .iuid at :proper pressure, mand the 'em- "ploymen-t of fthe"hereinafterdescribed controls @for tautomatically Vgoverning 'the lcharging iluid *displacement into v'the containers.

Of particular-"importance in the controlsy-stem vis @the maintenance 'of proper relationship between the motivating and charging 'ui'dipreseures. fPreferablyand `in fthe interests-4ofgreatest-'simplicity in construction and operation of "thesystemf-thamotivating duid-pressure is com- I-municated to the charging -fluid by 'way Vel va frel'lyilexible diaphragm. ,During the charging cyclathe motivating'lluidpressurepapplied tothe diaphragm is sulliciently in excess of the-charging ilud'jpressuraor `its vapor'pressure, to displace the `charge into the container at `requisite rate. VAThe invention `makes .particular provision 3.0.1 governing theintake ofthe charging uid vis threaded the adjustable lling nozzle I1.

vaporization of the charging iluid, by so restrict- .ing the rate of motivating displacement by the diaphragm under the influence of the charging fluid pressure, as to assure maintenance ofthe latter fluid substantially completely in liquid phase.

The invention has various additional features and objects, all of which will be understood vvto best advantage by reference to the accompanying drawings illustrative vof the invention in one of its typical forms. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 isa cross-.section side View of the apparatus taken on line l-l ofy Fig..3v;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vfragmentary cross-section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the apparatus; and Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic layoutillustratingthe control system.

It is to be understood that the essential parts of the equipment may be arranged and supported inany appropriate manner, and accommodated to housings of any suitable form and .construction. Typically, portions of the equipment shown in Fig. 1 are arranged within a housing l0 containing, among other parts, the weighing support, accumulator and scales, all in a manner affording a portable, convenient and compactar- Arangement easily adaptable for installation and use wherever desired.

The weight-responsive container supportA preferably comprises an .arm or beam Il pivotally mounted intermediate vits ends on shaft or trunnions l2 carriediby supports or bearings I3. VThe rear portion of `the lever beyond the trunnions carriesthe counter-weight I4. The Yforward end of the arm carries a filling nozzle and control valve assembly, generally indicated at l5, see Fig. 2, comprising a body I6 into the top oi which Body I6 is carried on a pair of upright supports i8 attached to the arm H, and contains a valve I9, the stem '20 of which extends downwardly through the seal Vfitting 2l, As Iwill appear, uid is admitted to the valve body through line 422 connecting .at 23 into the side of the bore 2`4.

Normally, spring 25 closes the valve to preventv fluid discharge to the nozzle l'l.

The equipment is adaptable for the lilling of aerosol type, hand-size containers 26 having, for example, a bottom or end check valve fitting '21 .applicable to the filling nozzle l 'l so that the container is charged upwardly through its bottom fitting to a. predetermined Weight content, the

container fiuid pressure acting, upon discontinuance of the fluid intake, to close check valvev28 in the fitting 21 to seal the pressure fluid in the container. Any suitable holding or clamping means may be employed for releasably attaching the container to the weight-responsive lever and for fluid communication with nozzle I1 in the relationship illustrated. Typically, the holding means is shown to comprise .a clamp structure 29 which includes a clamping head 30 engageable if against the top of the container and carrying rods 3l which depend and slide vertically within a pair of tubular guides 32 attached at 33 to the arm II. tween the solid (releasing) and dotted line (container clamping) position sh-own in Fig. 1 by a toggle-type throw comprising links 36 and 35' pivotally connected at 36 and 31, respectively, to the head and arm carried member 88, and pivotally interconnected at 39 and 4I) with the handle 4|. -By swinging handle 4| forwardly from the released position shown, the head may quickly be brought down into engagement with the container, securely clamping its bottom fitting against the nozzle I1.

Suitable means may be provided for holding the arm II against movement, or at least downward displacement, while the containers 28 are being applied to and removed from the filling nozzle. A typical holding means 42 may comprise a pair of circular members 43 eccentrically carried on shafts 44 extending through the front wall lila -of the housing and carrying intermeshing gears 45 so that the shafts and eccentrics rotate together but in opposite directions. Handle 46 carried by one of the shafts 44 may be thrown to the position illustrated, bringing the eccentrics 43 into holding engagement with web portion I la of the arm, from which position the eccentrics are quickly releasable by throwing the lever 46 to swing them outwardly away from the web I Ia. Y, y

The platform arm is connected by chain 41 or other suitable flexible means, with a spring type weighing scales 49 which may be mounted on the vertical housing wall lill) so that the dial or indicator face 49 of the scales is exposed directly back of, and somewhat above the container position, as shown in Fig. 3. Thus the scales provide a visual indicator of the empty container weight, thus enabling the scales to be set at a zero position, and also of the filled container weight, enabling the later described control systemto be adjusted in response to an increase of the container fluid weight to any predetermined amount.

Fluid to be charged into the containers, and consisting, for example, of a solution of a parasiticide in a liquefied normally gaseous solvent or carrier, is fed to the system through line 58 leading from a supply source such as a tank containing the high vapor pressure solution. Line 50 leads to a suitable three-way valve having a manual control 52 for purposes later described, and con necting by way of iiexible conduit or housing 53 with line 22. Valve 5I also connects through line 54 with a suitable accumulator 55 preferably in the form of a spherical shell between the sections 58 and 51 of which is clamped a iiexiole diaphragm 58 of rubber or other material capable of distension in either direction into engagement and hemispherical conformity with the inner surfaces of the sections 56 and 51.

Thus diaphragm 58 divides the accumulator into a first chamber 59 communicable through lines 54, 53 and 22 with the filling nozzle |1,v

and a second chamber 66 to which is supplied an The head is vertically displaceable be- 4 extraneous or motivating fiuid, such as air or any other suitable gas. The air is supplied to chamber 69 from line 6| under control of a motor or solenoid actuated valve 62 and through line 63 to the three-way fitting 64. The latter connects with-discharge lines 65 leading to valve 66 which, when open, permits gas to be vented from chamber 69 through line 61 which may open to the atmosphere. Spring 68 attached to the valve arm 69 tends to maintain the valve in open position, from which the valve is closed, as will later appear, upon energization of the solenoid or other type motor 10 connected to the arm 69.

An electrical control system is provided whereby valves I9, 62, and 66 are rendered automatically operable in response to predetermined increase of uid weight in the container 26, re-

sulting in downward pivotal displacement of the arm II a predetermined distance corresponding to the Weight increase. In this connection, it is observed that the scales 48 may be of a 'spring type, i. e. in which one or more of the usual scales-contained springs resist through the chain 41 downward displacement of the platform arm `I I. The latter carries a depending contact element 13 cooperable with the stationarily positioned mercury cup 14k to constitute a contact mercury switch in the circuit of conductors 15, 16 and restoring coil 16|, connecting with the power supply lines 11 and 18.

Referring to Fig. 4, the circuit includes a manually operated master switch 19 and connections with a signal light 8| indicating the on" or off condition of the control system as a whole. Conductors 15 and 16 connect with 'a solenoid'- type or other suitable relay, conventionally indicated generally at 82, comprising a switch S including a pair of contactors 83 connected in the circuit of conductors 84 and carried on arm 85 of the pivoted lever 88. The contactors 83 normally are maintained in open positions or disengagement from the poles 81 by the pivoted detent 88, the notched portion 89 of which is thrust by spring 90 against the end of lever 86 to resist its upward movement under the influence of spring 9|. The lever is releasable to close the switch elements 83, 81 by the manually operable push rod 92 movable against the detent arm 88 to free the end of the lever from its notch. Y'

Referring now to the control for valve I9, stem 20 is engaged by the end of lever 93 pivoted at 94 between the supports I8 and connected at 94| with a solenoid or other type motor 95 carried on the platform arm II. Spring 96 tends normally to maintain the valve I9 in closed position. The solenoid motor 91 for valve 62, and motor 10 actuating the valve 66, are connected in the circuit of conductors 84, as illustrated. A second signal lamp 98, connected in the same circuit and illuminated during filling, is deenergized upon reception of the full predetermined fluid charge in the container, resulting in the closure of the mercury switch 13, 14.

In considering the operation of the equipment,

' assume'rst that the system is to be conditioned for initial reception of the container charging fluid. Such uid, typically a liquefied solution of a parasiticide in normally gaseous solvents such as dichlorodiiiuoromethane, is vadmitted from a suitable source or container, not shown, to the system through line 50 past check valve V acting to prevent return flow. At first, valve .52

may be closed to prevent passage of the fluid from line 50 to the filling head or diaphragm chamber 59. By actuating push rod 92 to close rancune? itl-1e 'Switch "S, vvthe Halve-'$2 0pm "l'bo vladmit -`or other -gasevzus motivating fluid Lthrougl'l :Iline 93 to the diaphragm chamber 260, zdeecting :fthe

diaphragm i158 'downward into iflush .engagement awithfithe innerhemisphericalasurtacemf the lower vshell #section 6:1, lto .completely vdisplace :all ,air lfrom `chamber' 159 through line `574 yfandI-theiilling .head. 'Note thatthe vshowing fof fthe femur-ivres' `fitting assembly 15%! iis-diagrammatic only, :and

fthat'the valve $52 iszoperable itofopenamid close V'communicationbetween lineii!` lines 53 :and

52 `.may Lbe .opened-:to :admitfthe-charging fluid 1 `4through -iine :M to ithe `.diaphragm chamber.

iProvision is imade fior :presenting the .fescape tot fair from chamber ,it xunderzcontml :0I valve y56.

cata rate.' sufficiently tast to prevent 'flash vapori- `zation of :the charging :huid entiening chamber 159. Such control :may .bereffeetedfby usingfa valve :device nthenature of' .anee dlenalve, although :preferably I 4.place 'in fthe Aair discharge line r5E?! a -regulator elfl which "willmaintain ;a predeter- ,fmined differential between the AAcharging :iii-lid pressure entering .chamber ifgand fthe fair. escape pressure rin chamber r6.0. For the purposes of. :con-

:trol-16.131 I 'mayfuseiany zofiknown ytypes ofldifferenti'al :pressure regulators, rcnnventionally .repret-.sented-.ati lleconneotedhy l'me lowithli-ne :511. 'The 'regulator 1621.2 .may :be set sto .pass ,air to `*the Aoutlet :mit `when :and only-when :the air pressure iin line El Vhas a :predetermined :relation :or

approach zto .the `charging fluid-pressure ein line 2M. V.As illustrative, assuming the charging 'fluid --pressure tto libe .7 5 pounds :per v.square inch gauge,

the regulator 672 Will pass air tothe'niltlet ADI onlyzxvhen the ,.pressunefin line 61 reaches aboutv 70 pounds per square inch gauge. In this manner the air escape lfrom 'chamber SDiand its displaceability-'bythe charging fluid Aentering Yol-iarnber 5 9,

Wi-th the beam-H securedbylithe locking-.means *n 6 :and a .successive or .empty :container '.-inserted fior inning.

. As previously indicated, the regu-lated xelieizof -air from :the ,chamber "69 xunder `:control ,of iva'lve f5.6 :o1-'fthe Vregulator itil, `permits the charging -fluid .to-fillinto chamber') at'arate sufficient to .permit rapid filling oi successive containers, but yetzsunicientl-yeslow to :preventfzash vaporization that rcightfoitherwiseoecurgupon-Itoo rapid relief of the opposing :pressure in chamber. `While it zis s contemplated fthat chamber ,59 :may have any ,desired volume, preierablyfits :dimensions are such that when the :diaphragm is edeected to fits sinner .limiting :position fof :flush engagement Wit'h'the Yshell 'section 5t, the-,chamber will accommodate ysubstantially the vqualfltity ,ofrchargegreqnircdfto -ll afsinglecontainer. Thus, .when :the .diaphragm fis :fully K'depressed it f-,vvill 4assume the -fdot-dash line :position 55a closely :approaching oompleteengagement with-the hemi- .spherical surface ,of :the .lower `shell section 5J, 7with; perhaps .nnly V:a relatively A,small :amount .of afraid-.remaining :below :the :centralgarea zebof the tdiaphragm.

`ilhe drawings Aare yto tbe regarded `;-me r ely ,-as illustrative of the invention in a typical :embodizit ibeing understood that various ,changes and rmodiications may be made `.Wit-hout departure :from theinvention in. its :intended spi-ritxand scope.

1.1. Container-,nlling I.equipment .of the character idescrihedncomprising a rmovable weight-,responlsive monta-incr support a nlling vnozzle carried fby saidgmoyablesupnort, yan accumulator connected 42, the container^2-6may1befclamped tofthetllli-ng jheadj'in -the 'dotted line position of Fig. 1l, .the

beam'lock '4 2 released, and rod 92 *manually'actu- ,ated to -close switch S thus 'opening the fllling valve "i9 .and the aiir valve` B2 'and closing 4valve lA r4.The vair pressure 'thus communicated `to chamber 6i) displaces the charging iiuid `from chamber 59 ithrough :filling yhead into the container until the downward displacement v-.of

vathe .beam .H a distance corresponding'iexactly to llthe predetermined weight-:of the charge tto be to said nozzle, means for supplying ,fluid Lto .said accumulator for delivery to a container-through rfsaidrfnozzle, means rior .displacing `saidfuid from theiaocmnulatorfto the nozzle, vand means responsive :to .predetermined increase of fluid Weight; in the .container ffor discontinuing the suppl-y of iuidptoathe container.

Container'fillingeguipment of the lcharacter described, :conflprisin-cr .a Vmovable weightresponsive container snppo-rtpa filling-nozzleicarriedfby .sa-id :movable support, ian accumulator "connected -to -rsaid nozzle, :means -ror supplying Afluid :tosa'id :accumulator tor delivery gto a container `through said enozzle., said 'accumula-tor having ;a movable :actuated.byanfentraneous duid -pressurezor displacing :said iiuid ,from the accumulator to .the inozzle, .and-means responsive :to :predetermined increase of Liluid weight iin 'thepcontainer lfor discontinuing the :supply tof fluid :to the econta'iner.

3. 'Containerinlling ,equipment .ofv thexcharacter `described, comprising 1a :movable :Weighteresponjssive :container support, .-a iil'ling nozzle :carried '2b-y Saidwmovablesupport, anaccumulator acon- 160" -*tofsaiclaccumulator-dor deliveryto a .container -nected fto fsaidfnozzle, :means ffor supplying "duid through said nozzle, means .for displacing Vsaid Aifluid ifrom fthe laccumulator V`-to fthe nozzle `by .an extraneous huid, rand :valtrezmeans responsive :to

:predetermined increase `of fluid .weight :in :the

container for discontinuing both @the supply-of to the container v.and the tendencyl'of said V`extranemts :ui'd :to displace *fluid *from thefaocumulator to said nozzle.

4. Container filling equipment of the character described, comprising a movable weightresponsive container support, a container lling nozzle carried by said movable support, an accumulator containing a diaphragm separating rst and second chambers within the accumulator, means connecting said first chamber with said nozzle, means for delivering iiuid to said rst chamber, means for delivering an extraneous uid to said second chamber to cause the diaphragm to displace iiuid from the rst chamber through said nozzle, and means responsive to predetermined increase of fluid weight in the container for discontinuing the flow of uid from said first chamber t0 the container.

5. Container lling equipment of the char acter described, comprising a movable Weightresponsive container support, a container lling nozzle carried by said movable support, an accumulator containing a diaphragm separating first and second chambers Within the accumulator, means connecting said first chamber With said nozzle, means for delivering fluid t0 said first chamber, means for delivering an extraneous iiuid to said second chamber to cause the diaphragm to displace iiuid from the iirst chamber ythrough said nozzle, and valve means responsive to predetermined increase of iiuid Weight in the` container for discontinuing both the flow of fluid from said first chamber to the container and the delivery of said extraneous fluid to the second chamber.

6. Container lling equipment of the character described, comprising a movable weightresponsive container support, a container filling nozzle carried by said movable support, an accumulator containing a diaphragm separating first and second chambers within the accumulator, means connecting said first chamber with said nozzle, means for delivering iiuid to said rst chamber, means for delivering an extraneous 2 of said extraneous fluid to said second chamber,

and means responsive to predetermined increase of fluid weight in the container for closing said valves to discontinue the flow of fluid from said first chamber to the container and the delivery of fluid to said second chamber.

'7. Container iilling equipment of the character described, comprising a movable weight-responsive container support, a container lling nozzle carried by said movable support, a discharge control rst valve at said nozzle, an accumulator containing a diaphragm separating first and'second chambers within the accumulator, means connecting said first chamber with the nozzle, means for delivering a liquefied normally gaseous fluid to said first chamber, means for delivering a higher pressure motivating fluid to said second chamber to cause the diaphragm to displace fluid from the first chamber through said nozzle, a second valve for controlling the delivery of said motivating fluid to the second chamber, and control means operable in response to predetermined movement of said support under a predetermined Weight to close both of said valves to discontinue the flow of fluid from said chamber to the container and delivery of the motivating fluid to said second chamber.

8. Container lling equipment of the character described, comprising a movable Weight- 8 responsive container` support, a -container -fllling nozzle carried by said movable support, a discharge control rstr valve at said nozzle, an accumulator containing a diaphragm separating first and second chambers withinv the accumulator, means connecting said first chamber with the nozzle, means for delivering a liqueiied normally gaseous iiuid to said first chamber, means for delivering a higher pressure motivating iiuid to said second chamber to cause the diaphragm to displace fluid from the rst chamber through said nozzle', a secondvalve for controlling 4the delivery of said motivatingk fluid to the second chamber, a third valve for controlling the discharge of fluid from said second chamber, and control means operable in response to predetermined movement of said support under a predetermined weight to close both of said first "and second valves and to open said third valve.

9. Container lling equipment of the character described, comprising a movable Weightresponsive container support, a container filling nozzle carried by said movable support, a normally closed discharge control iirst valve at said nozzle, manually controlled means for opening said valve, an accumulator containing a diaphragm separating rst and second chambers Within the accumulator, means connecting said rst chamber with the nozzle, means for delivering a liquefied normally gaseous iiuid to said first chamber, means for delivering a higher pressure motivating fluid to said second chamber to cause the diaphragm to `displace fluid from the rst chamber through said nozzle, a second valve for controlling the delivery of said motivating iiuid to the second chamber, and control means operable in response to predetermined movement of said support under a predetermined weight to close both of said valves to discontinue the li'lovv of fluid from said rst chamber to the container and delivery of the motivating uid to said second chamber.

EARNEST E. MARTIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 567,555 Thomas Sept. 8, 1896 660,740 Wall Oct. 30, 1900 1,007,915 Broadhurst Nov. 7, 1911 2,058,094 Phelps Apr. 8, 1913 1,059,553 1 Meyer Apr. 22, 1913 1,191,484 Thorschmidt July 18, 1916 2,116,895 Howard May 10, 1938 2,198,309 James Apr. 23, 1940 2,383,761 Benton Aug. 28, 1945 2,387,894 Fannin Oct. 30', 1945- 2,408,842 Garretson Oct. 8, 1946 2,425,844 Spaulding Aug. 19, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 281,470 Germany Aug. 31, 1910 677,850 Germany Apr. 28, 1938 

